Retraction Attraction
by remy7marie
Summary: AU / AH Gossip columnist Bella Swan has published something that lawyer Edward Cullen does not like... It may end up being the best thing that happened to either of them. Rated M for later chapters.
1. New Things To Begin

A/N: I AM SO SORRY! But I'm in love with this idea - its my favorite story so far. :) And it has some "emails" in it from character to character. I've been reading Meg Cabot books like that? And I love it. Hehe. SOO I have a lot of the story already planned out which helps because with the other ones I'm just flying by the seat of my pants, but this one, i really like. SO let me know. And I'm sorry for starting yet another story. Enjoy and review.

Disclaimer: I own nothing. No Twilight characters or anything like the Chicago Tribune...this is for the whole story because I always forget..

* * *

_Chicago Tribune_

_Sunrise Edition_

**For Sale: Millionaire Lawyer Edward Cullen**

**By Marie Swan**

Yes, ladies, you've read correctly. It seems our very own Chicago lawyer and heartthrob, Edward Cullen, partner in law firm Cullen, Whitlock and McCarty, has recently broken up with his fair ballet dancer, Tanya Denali, of the Russia Ballet Company, whose "home office" is located in St. Petersburg.

Rumor has it that he will stay on American soil in his search for the next damsel-in-distress. But who will it be? "I think he wants something more…American, you know? Fresh and full of the good life," an inside source offers.

Well, whatever he's looking for, good luck, Mr. Cullen. Ladies should be knocking on your office door within the hour begging for a dinner date or even a lunch date. Mazel tov.

* * *

Just another day at the office. How did she end up being a gossip columnist? Granted, at the city's biggest newspaper, but still. Is this what she slaved away at Chicago U for? But she loved the celebrities. The break ups and marriages and scandals. She thrived on it. A vicarious life that she would never lead.

"So, Bella, do you want to grab dinner tonight?" Mike, the delivery boy was endless in his pursuits of _Chicago Tribune's_ gossip columnist.

"No, Mike," she answered sharply. "Same as yesterday, and the day before, and hey, the day before that. Please stop asking me."

His puppy eyes looked sad for the briefest minute before he flipped his shaggy blonde hair out of his face. What is this, the beach? Seriously, someone in the search for a real job should invest in a haircut…and a pair of shoes that aren't flip flops.

"One day, Bella, I know that you'll say, "Yes, Mike, I've always wanted to have dinner with you. It's just been my intense love for you holding me back."

"Yeah, well, for now and the distant future, my answer is no. So leave me alone."

"Swan," the editor, John Banner, barked. "My office." Mike had fled the premises for an irrational fear of Mr. Banner and was nowhere to be seen. Good riddance. Another day of his advances shirked.

She walked to his office slowly, careful not to trip in her stiletto heels and pencil skirt that her best friend, Alice Brandon, also the fashion editor at the _Tribune_, forced her into this morning.

She closed the door to Mr. Banner's office and sat stiffly in one of the chairs facing his desk. "I liked that Cullen piece," he said shortly.

"Uh, thanks, Mr. Banner," she stuttered.

"I mean, it's no Nobel Prize but that took guts being as he could come sue you for libel."

Her eyes locked on Mr. Banner's face as her face flushed. "I-uh-what? Sue me? It was all rumors! No one actually believes the gossip columns, Mr. Banner!"

"Woah, cool your jets. I'm just saying. If he calls, you make no decisions without consulting me. Understood?"

"Yes, sir."

"Good." His attention was already focused elsewhere. "You can go." She stood slowly, turning around just as slow. Stupid heels.

"Oh, and Swan? Are you Jewish?" She turned back with a confused look on her face.

"Mazel tov?"

"Oh, well, no, but you know…I couldn't think of what to say in English. So why not Hebrew?

He chuckled and she left quickly, moving to the ladies room. Sue her? Really? Now she would be worried about this. Why did they already send it to the printers? He really was gorgeous though. Edward Cullen, not Mr. Banner. That hair and those eyes. Oh, God, she was nearly dripping just thinking of him.

FOCUS! He could sue you, Swan! And then, you would not want that hair or those eyes or those hands, my God, those hands… STOP.

She splashed water on her face and when she looked up, she sighed at the reflection. This was as good as it would ever get for her. Her bland, mud colored, wavy hair hanging past her shoulders. Her large, though not abnormally so, brown eyes that gave away every emotion she ever felt. No secrets for her. Her pale skin that revealed every other emotion that the eyes may have missed in the form of an annoying blush.

She jumped when the bathroom door slammed open. She groaned when she saw it was just Alice. "You scared the shit out of me!"

"Sorry, but sweetie, that article, _amazing._ What a way to capture the guy's attention. I wish I had thought of it first. Oh, honey, why are you crying?" Alice moved to comfort her best friend.

"Am I plain?" Bella hiccupped through her tears. Alice held Bella away from her by her shoulders.

"No, honey. We've been friends since what? Freshman year in college? I'm telling you, you are beautiful. You never see yourself clearly."

"Then how come only Mike the delivery boy wants to take me out to dinner? Where are my other options?"

Alice laughed. "It's not funny, Alice! I'm twenty-five and running out of time!"

"Before what? Self-destruction?"

"Pretty much! I'll get old and wrinkly and my hair will turn gray."

"Bell, that's at fifty, not thirty."

"I just want someone." Alice looked at me pointedly. "Who's not Mike."

Alice wiped away Bella's tears with her thumbs and looked at her best friend. "He will come, I promise. Don't settle for anything less than what you deserve."

"Easy for you to say. You're beautiful."

It was true. Though she was petite, Alice never looked out of place. Barely grazing five feet, her hair made up for her vertical challenge. It was jet black and chopped short, sticking up in every direction with underlying layers of colors depending on the month – blue, pink, red, etc. She always dressed to kill. Her features were striking, sharp cheekbones and soft eyes, only enhancing her flawless skin and beauty.

Alice pulled mascara out of her pocket and reapplied Bella's makeup, God forbid she look splotchy and show her tears. She pulled her fingers through her dark locks and made her turn around and face the mirror.

"Now, repeat after me. I'm beautiful, successful and thriving, and I will meet a guy who loves me for who I am."

Bella rolled her eyes. "Say it, Bella."

"I'm beautiful, successful and thriving. I will meet a guy who loves me for who I am. Eventually."

Alice sighed, "Good enough. Now, come on, S.F.H. will come kick our asses for using her mirror."

S.F.H. = Secretary from Hell = Lauren Mallory. Bitch to the extreme.

A stall door slammed open. "You call me names behind my face?" Lauren did not look happy. She was standing in the stall in all her fake tanning, silicon, and bleach blonde hair glory.

"Um, honey, it's behind your back. Behind your back, not face," Bella said, while trying to keep a straight face and Alice fought laughter.

"Oh, please, Swan. I eat pathetic little girls like you for breakfast every morning."

"You eat girls? Really? I didn't know you swung that way."

"No, that's not what I meant."

"Hey, no judgment. What would Human Resources say about judgment? It actually explains a lot." Bella and Alice moved to the door, Alice's shoulders shaking from laughter.

"I didn't mean it like that!" They heard from the bathroom as the door closed behind them. Alice let out a huge burst of laughter as Bella smiled.

"I can't believe she actually graduated college," Alice said.

"She probably slept with the whole faculty. The female faculty, that is."

Alice laughed again as the girls walked back to their cubicles.

Bella logged on to check her email as Alice finished her layout for the Sunday edition.

* * *

To: Isabella Marie Swan

Alice Brandon

From: Rosalie Hale

Subject: Tonight

Hey girls,

Drinks tonight. Tula's at 6pm.

Bella, I _loved_ the article. And try not to be late this time. 

-Rose

* * *

Bella popped her head over the divider of the two cubicles to see Alice looking at the photos from Milan she took at fashion week last month. "Check your email?" Bella asked.

"Yeah, we can go straight from here. Because we know that if you go back to your apartment, you'll never make it over to Tula's. Like last time."

"I said I was sorry!"

"Whatever. We can walk by Burberry, because I saw a coat there that was absolutely to die for. It was simply _divine_."

"Of course you would love it."

"I meant for you. It just screams "Bella!!""

I sighed. Typical.

* * *

To: John Banner

From: Edward Cullen

Subject: For Sale: Millionaire Lawyer Edward Cullen

Mr. Banner,

I would like to extend congratulations at having one of your youngest writers write the most popular article of the day. I Googled her. I can't believe she actually climbed Kilimanjaro and now lives in London.

Anyways, I would also like to extend my desire for an immediate retraction. This article was in now way deserved or provoked, and I think you need to express to your employees their boundaries in other people's personal lives, gossip columnist or no.

I will be stopping by your offices tomorrow to ensure that my request is complied to, and that it is to my liking. If these requests are not met, I can assure you that legal action will be followed shortly.

Thank you.

Edward Cullen

Cullen, Whitlock and McCarty, Attorneys at Law

* * *

To: Edward Cullen

From: John Banner

RE: Retraction

Mr. Cullen,

I assure you that our columnist has never climbed Kilimanjaro. She would trip and fall before she even made it a foot up the mountain. And she doesn't live in London. So while she is one of my youngest writers, I do believe you Googled the wrong woman, as Marie Swan is not her real name.

As for her article, my employees are well aware of their boundaries, and while she may have been tip-toeing the line, the article was pure speculation based off your recent relationship ending. It _is _the gossip column, you know, Mr. Cullen. I will discuss with her your email, but I'm afraid I cannot force her to write a retraction. You may contact her at 312-544-7655 until 5pm this evening and again at 9am tomorrow morning.

Thank you.

John Banner

Features Editor

_Chicago Tribune_

_

* * *

_Edward Cullen sat at his desk reading over notes for a disposition later that week. He spun his chair around to face the skyline view he had, sighing. He spun back around just as fast when his partner Emmett McCarty barged through his office door, his dimples working overtime with the force of his smile.

"Stop daydreaming or plotting murder of gossip columnists or whatever it is you do these days! We're going to go get smashed, Eddie!" he all but roared.

"Emmett, I'm right here; you don't have to yell. And I wasn't daydreaming or plotting murder. And don't call me Eddie."

"Anything else, princess? And you were too daydreaming." Emmett, though huge – pushing 6'4 – was really like a child. A petulant, childish two-year old, Edward often thought when Emmett was on his nerves. But more like a teddy bear and a fierce, loyal friend.

And yes, Edward was daydreaming. But sometimes he simply couldn't help it. Some days he felt like something was lacking. Even when he was with Tanya – he loved his job, his family, Chicago, and at the time, his girlfriend, but every now and then he felt a twinge for something more.

And this article? It pushed him over the edge. Emmett had burst through the doors – much like he just did – less than two hours ago, only to throw the Entertainment and Arts section of the _Tribune_ at him.

Edward had pursed his lips in annoyance. "Emmett, what is this crap? I don't have time for this," not even bothering to try and hide his irritation.

"Oh, my friend, you'll want to see this." While Edward could not hide his annoyance, Emmett could barely control his excitement. This was it. This would be Edward's dream girl. Whoever could write this had guts, and it was girl, and she had to be the one for him. Okay, it was a long shot, but someone had to get Edward out of the funk he was in. It was cramping Emmett's reputation with the ladies. And that was nothing to be messed with.

Edward looked down, and it took a minute for the title to register in his head. "For Sale: Millionaire Lawyer Edward Cullen."

What the fuck…?!

Needless to say, after some breathing exercises and Googling, he emailed the editor and demanded retraction. Christ, this week would suck, he could already tell.

"We're going to Tula's, so let's go. We need to find you a bride." Emmett's booming laughter after his own joke tore him from his thoughts.

Edward glared at Emmett, who was having too much fun with this. Even Jasper Whitlock, the third partner in their firm, had laughed, telling him it would be good for him. In the long run. Or did he say near future? Edward didn't remember, but he could hardly see how _this_ could possibly be good for him or his blood pressure.

Tomorrow, he would go to the Chicago Tribune offices and talk to this Marie Swan (or whatever her name really was) himself.

* * *

"To great articles!" Alice toasted, holding up her third margarita, motioning for the girls to do this same.

Bella smiled, "To new coats!" She exhibited her new Burberry coat now resting on the back of her chair. "And credit card debts!"

"To awful bosses and crappy advertisements by said bosses," Rosalie finished.

Of the three, Rosalie was definitely the one people noticed first. Of supermodel beauty, she stood tall with wavy long blonde hair, and eyes so blue, they almost seemed violet. She had the graceful curves and poised body and looked great all the time. But she would need someone who didn't take her shit and she could boss around. Pretty much.

"To S.F.H.s!" Alice shouted.

They all laughed, feeling the buzz of a few margaritas.

"You know what we found out today?" Alice said loudly. "Lauren is a lesbian! She said she eats little girls like Bella every day for breakfast."

"Shh," Bella said just as loud. "You can't be that loud."

They were all laughing now, and not even thinking that they all had to report to work the next morning.

"I'm going to get another round of these thingies," Bella said, spinning her glass in her hand clumsily. She stumbled off the chair at the high top table and nearly tumbled to the ground.

She waited for impact as she heard her margarita glass hit the ground and shatter, but the blow didn't come. Instead, she felt two hands wrap around her slender waist and hold her above the ground before tipping her upright.

"Are you okay?" She felt light headed at all the movement, but she nodded before looking in the face of her rescuer. She saw Rose and Alice staring in Awe at the person who saved her. Yes, Awe. With a capital A. Their jaws were practically on the table and Alice was fanning herself with her hand.

"You saved my life," she said stupidly. She was transfixed, yes, transfixed, by his green eyes and copper hair. It couldn't be who she was thinking it was. Her head was a little jumbled, but she could form semi-coherent thoughts. Edward Cullen.

"Well, I wouldn't go that far, and the glass I couldn't quite save, but you would have definitely felt that in the morning." He gave a small smirk and she smiled.

"I'm Edward," he said.

"Bella," she replied, suddenly acutely aware that his hands were still gripping her forearms and burning holes in the skin they touched. Well, the fabric, but she was tipsy, so details weren't really a major priority.

Edward smiled at the woman he just saved from a face plant into some sketchy Mexican restaurant floor. Her hair looked like chocolate, and he was practically waxing poetry about her eyes and lips and don't even get him started on the skin. Good Lord, he needed a shower, and he just fucking looked at this girl.

Why couldn't he meet a girl like this every now and then? Oh, wait. He just did.

"Well, thanks again," she stuttered, backing up and nearly running over the busboy who was cleaning up the glass. "OH, person there. Sorry, I'm sorry. It was nice meeting you. Bye."

He watched her go back to the bar and caught a glimpse of her legs. Good God, he was done for.

Bella went back to the table after ordering more drinks, and saw Alice and Rose scanning the room for prospective men. After her horrific, embarrassing adventure, she felt infinitely more sober. Too bad she couldn't say the same for her friends. They nearly plowed Bella for details about what happened after Prince Charming rescued her from her fall of the year.

"That was Edward."

They looked at her blankly, clearly not connecting the dots.

"Edward Cullen."


	2. Lacking the Audience of a Lover's Ear

**A/N: Thanks for all the reviews!! I hope you enjoy chapter 2. Enjoy and review, please. :) It makes me happy! **

lacking the audience of a lover's ear**  
**

Bella was laughing so hard she nearly fell off the barstool. She had returned to the bar shortly after she dropped off margarita number 4, in order to get margarita number 5 for the girls. Edward was sitting there, waiting for the bartender to actually notice another customer besides the busty blonde in a low cut sequin tank at the end of the counter.

Since then, she and Edward had been talking pleasantly, though she pointedly left out the whole part about her writing a horrible article about him. But really, could it be considered an article? It was more like…a blurb on page nine of the Entertainment section. Who reads that anyways?

Right now, Edward was telling her a story about his friend Emmett, who she would love to meet because though he sounds kind of scary, he also sounds like the most harmless and funniest person ever.

"So Emmett goes up to the waitress and goes, "do you work for Cingular because you're raising my bar?" The only problem was that she didn't quite get it. So she tells him that no, she works for Clancy's Pub, not Cingular. Needless to say, Emmett went home alone that night."

"Understandably so," Bella laughed. "I can't believe he said that to her."

Edward laughed, taking a swig of his beer. "Yeah, I know. Whoever he ends up has to be able to put up with so much of his stupid shit. Especially since he thought that pick-up line was the greatest thing to ever come from his lips."

"Yikes." She swirled what was left of her margarita in the glass. She felt like a supreme bitch. Why did she have to write that article and then WHO, JUST WHO would she meet on a night out with her friends. It was typical Bella luck.

She looked back at her table where her friends were, and alas, they were gone. Edward followed her line of sight. "They must have found men." She laughed mirthlessly. She found a man. A Perfect, Funny, not to mention Gorgeous man who's life she may have well just ruined with her stupid words.

Suddenly she was being jerked off her stool by someone on her either side.

"Uh, what is going on here?" she asked Alice and Rose once her feet were firmly planted on either side. Alice was forcing Bella's arms through the sleeves her new coat, as if she were incapable of putting it on herself. They each linked an arm with one of hers, and Edward had stood up from his seat.

"We're going home, sweetie," Alice said.

"I can take her home. Really, it's no problem," Edward offered. He took a step forward but Alice stopped him with a glare.

"Thanks, Romeo, but we got it from here," Rose said, with a smile. They started walking backwards, Bella's gaze still locked on Edward's. He followed their steps.

"It was nice meeting you," he said as they pulled her out the door.

"You, too," she said, turning around as the other two girls kept walking.

They stopped in front of a cab when Bella spun on Alice. "What the hell was that?"

"Honey, any longer and you have been putty in his hands. He's a big city boy and you're just a girl from Forks."

"So he's too good for me?" she asked, her eyes flaring with anger.

"No, Bella, sweetie, that's not what I meant."

"Whatever, Alice." Bella climbed inside the taxi, staring out the window at the bustling street as Rose followed her into the cab.

She looked towards the door she just climbed through when the window was rolled down and someone was calling her name. Someone with a perfect, somewhat alcohol-affected voice.

"Bella, is there any way I can reach you?" Edward asked, his eyes boring holes into her very being.

Alice annoyingly answered before Bella could utter a word. "Don't worry, you'll see each other again very soon," she replied ominously. Bella glared. She may have been drunk, but she knew her eyes were in narrow slits directed at who was her former best friend, Alice.

Edward jumped back as the cab pulled away, nearly taking his leg with it.

What the hell does that mean, he thought, as he watched the cab pull away. He recounted her words to make sure he heard correctly. _Don't worry, you'll see each other again very soon._ Yeah, that is definitely what she said.

In the cab, Bella was silent, not answering either of the girls' questions as the cab began to reach their respective homes. Luckily, Bella's was close. Alice tried to apologize again to Bella, but she merely slammed the cab door behind her.

Once inside her apartment, she dropped her shoes by the door, unzipping her skirt and unbuttoning her shirt, leaving a trail of clothes as she walked to her bedroom in a trancelike state. She didn't even get his number, or email or anything.

_When he finds out what you did_, a little voice in her head spoke to her as she lay on her comfy down comforter and plush pillows, _he won't want to talk to you anyways_.

She had nightmares that night, and woke much too early how little sleep she got that night and dressed in a daze and made it to the office. She was forced to confront Alice, again, much too early for her liking.

Alice got up from her chair when she saw Bella enter the twelfth floor from the elevator. "I know you're mad, sweetie. But let me explain." She didn't pause to give Bella time to answer. "He's Edward Cullen, you know, and you just wrote that little piece on him and I don't think that you should be spending so much time with him when he has no idea that it was you."

"But, Al, he was so perfect. I don't see how he and anyone could have broken up with him." She was close to tears at the loss of the perfect guy for her. Seemingly so, at least. She really didn't know that much about him, now that she thought about it. Maybe it was a good thing she was pulled away before she ended up falling in his bed without second thoughts.

It was exhausting, she realized, how up and down, back and forth, and so goddamn fucking annoying the dating pool really was. How could you ever know who you were really seeing? It was enough to piss someone off and spur them to buy twelve cats and call it a night.

"I just wanted to do what I thought was right for you," Alice hugged her friend.

"I know; I'm sorry I got so mad. Forgive me?" Bella said, blinking tears away.

"As long as you forgive me." They laughed at the total cliché makeup that best friends always seem to have.

Alice surveyed her outfit before nodding in approval. Another pencil skirt and a silk cap-sleeve blouse in an ice blue color. Death in the form of shoes, also called stilettos. Awesome. She pulled her hair back in a bun because she didn't feel like even touching it after her shower and she didn't feel like going near her contacts in her hung-over state. Therefore, it was thin, black framed glasses for her.

"Okay, now that our fight is over, I have to tell you about the most perfectly perfect man I met last night," Alice gushed. She didn't want to hurt Bella's feelings after she all but ripped her best friend from her soul mate, but Alice had a feeling about the way her and Edward's relationship would progress, and one word came to mind: quickly. So she attempted to draw it out before Bella became completely wrapped up in it.

"Oh?" Bella said, her eyebrows rising.

"Yeah, you were at the bar and Rose was off with this massive guy because she said they were talking about some '67 Eleanor Mustang that she had found and he was close to drooling all over her with her talk about engines and V-8 and what have you."

She paused and looked at Bella knowingly. "Sex in the bathroom," they said in unison.

Alice laughed before barreling on. "His name is Jasper and he's a lawyer, just like Edward! Weird, huh? Anyways, he's tall and blonde, with these amazing blue eyes, oh and Bella, you know what that does to me. We exchanged numbers and he already called me this morning. It was so cute."

Bella smiled, biting back the little pang of jealousy and hurt. "I'm happy for you, Al, if this is really what you want."

"Oh, Bell, it is. He's just so perfect." She noticed a look of sadness in Bella's eyes. "Honey, don't worry. You're guy is coming. I know it. You know how I am about these things. I'm _always_ right."

Bella laughed and sat down at her desk. "No Mike this morning, thank God," Bella commented. She spoke too soon, however.

Both girls froze in fear at what they saw outside their cubicles. Mike Newton, with a guitar, in his flip flops, beginning to serenade Bella. They didn't notice a particular lawyer, AKA Edward Cullen standing at the reception desk, looking on in amusement. Even though he was furious with this Marie person's article and was here to demand a retraction.

"Is Mike what you meant by my guy coming?" Bella asked, her lips barely moving in shock of what she was actually seeing.

"Most definitely not," Alice replied, in equal amounts of fear.

Bella visibly winced as Mike began to belt out the first few lines of his song.

_Oh, Bella, I'm just a fella_

_Who wants to take you out_

_To eat, but no trout_

_Because I don't like fish_

_Grant me my wish_

_We can go to Burger King_

_Or Mickey D's_

_I'm on my knees_

_Would that be alright with you?_

_Oh, Bella, I'm just a fella_

_Please go out with me_

Her eyes were squeezed shut so tight her cheekbones were sore, as if willing him to be gone at the end of his song.

"Is it over yet?" she whispered to Alice.

"I don't want to look. You check."

"No, he's singing about me. You look."

"So what do you say, Bella? Grant me my one wish and I'll make you the happiest woman alive." Mike's words forced her to not only open her eyes, but also swallow the bit of bile that rose in her throat at the images he was planting in her head, against her will, she might add.

She was angry. Really angry. "Seriously, Mike? You think after this display of what, idiocy, I would now suddenly decide to go out with you? After a year and a half of your efforts? I don't like you, and I don't want to go out with you, and you can never make me the happiest woman alive. Not only that, but I saw you and Lauren getting awfully cozy behind the fern downstairs on my lunch hour yesterday. So go write a song about someone else and leave me alone."

There was a round of applause at the end of her schpeel and she felt herself blushing furiously.

"Newton!" she heard Mr. Banner bellow from his office door. Mike's eyes bugged out as he threw the guitar strap back over his shoulder and ran down the nearest flight of stairs, Mr. Banner following closely behind.

Alice snickered and Bella turned back to her cubicle, muttering under her breath. "Idiot fuckhead…" was all Alice was able to decipher.

* * *

At the reception desk, Edward watched with amusement as Bella, who was clearly still hung-over, rip this guy a new one. He nearly laughed, but didn't want to draw attention to himself. Bella seemed to recover nicely from last night, looking beautiful and like every teenage boy's naughty librarian fantasy, his included.

Bella didn't notice him, however, which he was grateful for. He would talk to her after he cleared up his business with this Marie Swan character. Banner apparently wasn't coming back until he got that Mike guy fired, and the receptionist was batting her fake eyelashes his direction. Meh, what the hell? Could be a little fun to flirt harmlessly with her to get what he wants.

"So, Lauren," he said, reading her nameplate, "How long have you worked here?" He used his charming voice and could practically see her panties drop when he turned his attention to her. _Too easy._

"Oh, a few months," she replied, her voice getting husky and he could feel himself mentally running away. A clinger. Gotta get out of there, buddy.

"And do you know who this Marie Swan person is?" Edward asked, making himself stay and stare at her perfectly fake, white teeth with her enhanced breasts and fried blonde hair. And the skin was practically a construction sign, the color of orange it was. _Not all like Bella's perfect, fair skin._

She rolled her eyes. "Whore," she muttered. Edward's eyes narrowed in annoyance, his jaw clenching in irritation at this plastic waste of his time. "She's over there, the one who was just serenaded." She waved her hand in the general direction.

Edward looked over my shoulder only to catch Bella's eyes where she ducked and flushed. She had been watching the scene, Alice's warning only proven correct as she was forced to watch Edward flirt with Lauren.

He walked over to Bella, his eyes flaring with fury. Bella backed up against her desk, almost in fear.

"I want a retraction, _now._"


	3. Make Haste, I Feel Your Heartbeat

They sat glaring at each other across the long conference table in the meeting room. Mr. Banner sat at the head of the table, and the two flanked his either side.

"I want an immediate retraction," Edward said firmly, but his voice a deadly calm. Bella rolled her eyes.

"Yes, we know. You've only said it a dozen times now."

"Well, obviously someone is having a hard time grasping the concept."

"I don't think Mr. Banner likes having his mental capabilities questioned," Bella retorted. "Especially if he's the one who will grant the retraction, should it happen."

"I was talking about you," Edward replied with a smug smile.

Mr. Banner watched the two go at it, back and forth, like a tennis match.

"I still don't understand what the big deal about the article was," Bella said simply. "It wasn't as if I was lying."

"My break-up with Tanya Denali concerns no one but myself and Tanya Denali. And I refuse to let women – how did you so eloquently put it? I will not let women bang on my office door for a date."

"Right, you'll just go to them to do the banging," Bella replied smartly, referring to Lauren in the lobby. "No pun intended, of course," she added with a small smile.

"Mr. Banner, will you excuse Miss Swan and me for just a moment," Edward said, standing up quickly. He walked around the table and jerked Bella up roughly from her chair by her upper arm and pulled her into the hallway.

"Ow," she mumbled, rubbing her arm. She talked to his back, since he faced away from her. "Could you _not_ do that? I'm not an animal to be herded around."

He paced a few steps before turning back to her. "Why did you really not tell me last night?"

Bella rolled her eyes. "You're still stuck all the way back there in this conversation?"

He ignored her sarcasm, something he realized he was getting very good at in the past hour. "What happens in my personal life is of no concern to you, so leave it alone. I will have a retraction, whether you want it or not. Isabella Swan," he said, his name off her lips making her eyes shut against her will. He moved closer to her, his breath sweeping her throat as his hand delicately moved hair away from her neck, "I always get what I want."

He could take her lips right there and there would be nothing to stop him. She was clearly without defenses; he had rendered her incapable of pushing him away. Her skin smelled like vanilla and some sort of flower, a smell he found to be his new aphrodisiac. His own eyes closed as his nose grazed her neck with the lightest of feather touches. He released her waist from his grip and stepped back, chuckling at her, heavy breathing, eyes closed. Then he forced himself to walk away.

She stood there for a good minute before opening her eyes to find herself standing alone in the hallway. It was hard to keep up with his verbal ping pong, as he switched topics more often than Alice changed outfits in a day. She replayed the conversation in her head to remember what he actually had said. Once she was satisfied that she had only mildly embarrassed herself, she walked back into the conference room.

Mr. Banner was folding papers into a manila envelope, alone, sans Edward Cullen. She looked around the room.

"You won't find him, Swan. You'll have to castrate him the next meeting. He'll be back next week to settle this. I'd advise you to come up with some sort of restitution between now and then."

She fiddled with her thumbs as they lay clasped in front of her. "Yes, sir."

He nodded, shut off the light and left the meeting room, leaving Bella alone in the dark. The windows provided little light with the gloomy October weather. She mentally berated herself as she went and sat in the chair at the head of the table.

Why in the world would she publish that article? What could possibly have spurred her to write any of it? Oh, right, she was a gossip columnist. Something she never would have imagined herself as, and yet, it was something she now called her career.

And to do this to Edward Cullen. Admittedly, it was a good source of gossip at the beginning, but she conveniently overlooked the whole part about him being a lawyer. The article would by no means win her a Pulitzer, but it did put her on the radar, especially if he drew out this retraction. Radar was bad.

Which brings her back to the original question: Why did she fucking write that article? If she hadn't done that, there may have been a miniscule chance of them being able to date, had the opportunity arisen. Now, there was no way he would ever be able to stand to be in the same room as her.

Just imagine it, he could have come to her office to surprise her today, take her out to lunch. Have a midday rendezvous. His childish grin making butterflies flutter in her stomach.

Or this could have been a meeting where Edward was hired to put a restraining order on Lauren Mallory upon her termination at the Chicago Tribune. Wouldn't that be nice? Mr. Banner would leave the room, the blinds closed, lights off…

She could feel his fingers trail ever so softly down the slope of her neck, deftly unbuttoning the elegant buttons on her silk shirt, his touch as soft as the fabric she was wearing. He unsuccessfully tried to spread her legs apart from where she was sitting on the conference table, and instead, pushed her form-fitting pencil skirt to bunch at her waist before moving her legs to stand between them. She gasped at his evident arousal pressed against her thigh, and in her aroused frenzy, she wrapped his tie around her fist, pulling him towards her to catch his lips with hers. His hands moved behind her, spread on either side of the table, balancing himself as he leaned them back.

He held himself up with one hand and slid a hand down the curve of her neck, across the side of her breast, down the arc of her hip, the swell of her thigh. He felt her garter belt and she moaned when he slid his finger underneath and unhooked one from her ice blue lace boy shorts.

His hand moved to the underneath of her knee and wrapped her leg around his waist, allowing himself to push up closer against her. She moaned at the contact and marveled at how his large, rough hands created a dizzying effect on her body. The contrast to her smooth skin further ignited the slow simmer in her belly as he untucked her blouse from her skirt.

Edward exited the building as quickly as possible after being in such close proximity to Bella. She was intoxicating, and he was more than willing to fall under her spell. But that was what she wanted. Make him fall for her and then write about it in her stupid column.

Fuck! It would take more will power than he had to keep himself away from her and he wasn't sure he was up to the challenge. It would be so much easier to just take her and be done with it. Get her out of his system.

He was about to get into a cab to go back to the office when he realized he forgot his leather business folder in the conference room in his hurry to get away from Bella before he threw her on the conference table and had his way with her in front of John Banner.

Edward shuddered and then sighed. He had no choice but to go back inside. To her floor. To her office. Maybe she was still there…

He got in the elevator, but only hazy daydreams of her and him in this confined space assaulted him. He pinched the bridge of his nose and closed his eyes tightly. He had to get her out of his mind.

He got off the elevator on the floor of the Chicago Tribune, Lauren Mallory raising her eyebrow suggestively and attempting to look coy. Eck. He walked to the conference room slowly, hoping to maybe see the one he wanted to see (_not _Lauren), pausing every now and then. He must have looked ridiculous, but she could be getting coffee, or making copies or getting a certain retraction approved.

He stood outside the conference room sooner than he would have liked. He glared at the door. In any other situation, he would have asked her out. But this stupid newspaper just got in the way and totally fucked up their chances…And was that a moan? A sultry, low moan coming from inside the conference room. _Oh, God, I just want my folder; it has the deposition I need for next week_. Deciding there was nothing else to do but enter the room and face what would be an incredibly awkward confrontation, he pushed open the door.

When his eyes adjusted to the darkened room, what he saw was most definitely not what he expected. But, Christ, is was more than he could have ever dreamed of.

She was sitting in the reclining, ergonomic chair at the head of the conference table. Her hair was mussed. Her breathing was sharp and her chest was heaving. Her hands were gripping the armrests on the side. Her stomach was arched up as she moaned again. Almost like someone…in the throes of passion?

_Oh, Good fucking God. _

He shifted uncomfortably in his place as his slacks tightened exponentially. _What in the world was she doing to me?_ She wasn't even awake and she was ruining his life by making him want her.

He walked around the table slowly, spotting the object of his whole trip coming up here. It was getting more and more difficult to leave when she was distracting him with her breathing and slipping grip on the armrests as she struggled to…keep up with the dream. What happened if she woke up and found herself surrounded by pervy mail boys who had never even seen breasts? He needed to wake her up.

Edward crouched by her chair, forcing himself not to ogle her perfect legs or her chest that was rising and falling erratically with her labored breaths. Needless to say, it was fucking hard.

"Ms. Swan, you need to wake up," he said, trying to remain professional and well, bastardly. The only response he got was another quiet moan.

"Bella, its Edward, Mr. Cullen. You have to get up."

A smile broke on her face, "Mmm, Edward." Despite the enormous ego-booster, he knew that thoughts of her and him together would do nothing for the situation. Not to mention he hated her and the stupid words that she wrote.

"Bella," he said, shaking her arm. She only grabbed his hand and brought it to her chest so he was palming one of her perfectly perfect breasts.

It made him groan in response. Why, oh, why was she doing this to him? He didn't mind being the object of her dreams, but don't make him be a part of it in the real world.

"Bella!" a voice called as the door to the conference room flew open. It was Alice, who was standing there in her stylish work clothes, coat draped on her arm and purse in hand. Bella jerked awake and her eyes widened as she saw Edward on his knees next to her.

They both turned to Alice. "What?" Bella asked.

Alice looked pointedly at Bella and Bella looked down. Edward's hand had moved to the valley of her breast and her own hand was holding it there.

"Oh, God. Bad, bad, bad." She dropped his hand as if it were on fire and stood up, pushing the seemingly demonic chair, however ergonomic it may have been, away.

Edward stood up. "I swear, I didn't do anything. I just came in here and she was asleep so I thought that I should wake her."

Alice's eyes narrowed, "By fondling her?"

"Alice," Bella said sharply. "I'll meet you in the lobby."

Alice huffed at being left out of the confrontation and turned on her heel.

"So, uh," Bella started.

"Don't worry, I left out the graphic parts. You know, the sex on the table and against the window. No big deal."

His face was one of perfect calmness as he watched Bella's eyes widen and face turn as red as a tomato.

"You dirty bastard," she began.

"Woah, I'm just kidding," he interrupted her before she could rip off his balls. And he was sure she could do just that. "You were asleep and talking in your sleep, so I didn't think you'd want some creepy people coming in and well, creeping."

"No, that's your job, right?" she sneered.

"I was trying to be nice! You were the one moaning as if you were having the greatest sex of your life."

Her face flushed red again. "Well, you're the one who was being a pervert and standing there watching me."

Edward blinked. "So you were having a sex dream?"

"I don't think it's any of your business," she sniffed, looking away, willing this conversation to end.

"Was it good?" he asked, a smirk on his face as he stared at her, hair still a mess, face flushed, shirt wrinkled.

"Much better than I'm sure you can do," she responded, folding her files and putting them in the folders before gathering them into her arms. "Now if you don't mind, I have a lunch to get to."

As she walked by he grabbed her arm. "Oh, don't worry," he said. "I will be much better than any dream you've had."

She stared at him before twisting her arm out of his grasp for the second time that day. "Don't touch me. Somehow you've made it to second base and we don't even like each other. And believe me, the only thing you could possibly be good at concerning me is pissing me off."

She left the room with her mind reeling. _Did he say "I will" as in the future as in he and I together one day as in complete and perfect coital bliss? Okay, Bella, calm the fuck down. The legs are staying closed to one Edward Cullen. For now. NO! Always. _She growled at the argument in her mind.

She stopped by her desk to drop off her files and shrugged into her new Burberry coat and grabbed her purse from the floor.

She purposely looked busy when Edward came out of the conference room, avoiding looking at him and turning around to avoid temptation all together. Once she was sure he was gone, she went to the lobby where Alice was waiting in one of the comfy chairs in front of the reception desk. Lauren glared at Bella as the two walked towards the elevators.

"Sushi bar?" Alice asked. "We're meeting Rose there and then you are going to tell us everything about Edward Cullen."

Bella groaned as the elevator began its descent. "There's nothing to tell, Alice. Asshole extraordinaire who just happens to smell like delicious sex itself and have the body of a Greek god. No big deal."

Alice grinned as they got off the elevator. "Well, I think he's perfect for you."

"You remember what happened the last time you thought someone was perfect for me?"

It was Alice's turn to groan as they walked out onto the downtown Chicago streets. "That was in college, Bell. Believe me, I've changed my tune since then."

"He was in the chess club and he had braces! And his mom still packed his lunch for him!"

"Nate wasn't _that_ bad," Alice defended as they walked down the street.

"He tried to feel me up and I swear to God, he started drooling. And I still had my clothes on. It was as if he had never seen breasts before."

"Maybe he just really liked you."

"We were in his mom's car," Bella deadpanned. "Besides, you were the one who dragged me away from him last night."

"Don't worry," Alice said with an evil grin on her face. "Everything in time."

"Ugh, I hate when you give ominous warnings like that."

"Its all part of my charm," she said, and she pulled open the door to Kamehachi and they saw Rosalie already sitting at a table.

Alice sat down and removed her coat. "You'll never guess who was groping Bella this morning and who serenaded her."

"My, Bella, you've had a busy morning. Groped and sang to and its not even one o'clock."

She moaned and sank her head to her arms. "I hate my life."

Alice took it into her own hands to inform Rosalie about everything that had happened that morning.

"He wanted to take you to McDonalds?! Romantic…" and "His hand was where?!" were only two of the comments Bella heard in the recounting of her day.

"Can we just let this go?" Bella pleaded.

"Absolutely not." They both said. "Tula's tonight?" Alice asked.

"No! I'm not going back there," Bella said. "Besides, I need groceries. Sorry, girls, no fun for me tonight."

"That's okay," Rose said with a smirk. "Sounds like you've had enough fun for all of us today."

Bella sighed and looked out the window to the bustling Chicago street. If only he weren't a total asshole and completely out of her league. Oh, and if she hadn't blabbed about his relationship in the Chicago freaking Tribune, they may have had a chance.

She sighed again. Probably not.


End file.
